Colonial Won't Pass On Air Travel This Season

Orange sports - Football: The early line

State regular-season passing leader Mike Mitchell is gone. He's now a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. But that doesn't mean the pass is passe at Colonial High.

Even though Mitchell's Metro Conference record-setting totals of 2,932 yards and 29 touchdown passes yielded only a 3-7 season for the Grenadiers, Coach Bill Holt is sold on air travel as the best route his program can take to respectability. Colonial will again be in the four-wideout spread offense.

``Some people don't like it because they don't understand the beauty of the passing game and the logic behind it,'' Holt said. ``I've said all along, I don't believe you can throw the ball on every down and win and I really believe that. But we are a passing team and we're going to throw the ball.''

Colonial passed the ball on 71-percent of its plays in '98, with Mitchell completing 226 of 395 attempts. Holt said in the preseason he would prefer a 60-40 pass-run ratio.

The new offensive triggerman is Brandon Blake, a 6-3, 210-pound senior who struggled in Winter Springs' option offense and transferred into a program that can put his dropback-passing ability on display for major college coaches.

``Mitchell was a pure dropback quarterback who went back there and delivered the ball,'' Holt said. ``This kid has the ability to get out of the pocket, so we'll sprint out more than we did last year. Brandon has a tremendous amount of athleticism. And he's got a gun for an arm.''

Blake, the younger brother of NFL quarterback Jeff Blake, won the starting position in preseason practice over junior holdover Sean Bailey, Mitchell's backup in '98.

``The athletic part of it, Blake does with ease,'' Holt said. ``He's struggling a little bit with the mental part of it. We've had to give him a one-year cram course in three weeks.''

One thing Blake has going for him is a veteran supporting cast.

Ralph Santana, who set a state high school regular season record with 91 catches last season, graduated. But starters Ariel Manqual and Daron Lawrence are back, and 6-foot-4 junior Mark Mitchell and Winter Park transfer Jeff Brown provide two more targets.

``Santana had a big year, but I believe our wide receivers are going to be better than last year,'' Holt said.

The Grenadiers also are solid at running back. Julius Lee flashed college potential as a sophomore, and Holt said Jamal Lewin (5-9, 220, Jr.) is also promising.

The question mark is defense - also nothing new for Colonial. As prolific as recent Grenadier teams have been with the pass, they have been as porous on defense.

``Traditionally, when people have gotten out to the perimeter we just have not been able to catch them,'' Holt said. ``But we had a good off-season strength-wise and we should be much better over there. We have to be. If the defense comes along, I feel we have a chance to compete.''